Mom

Interestingly, many languages ​​around the world, including English, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Czech, and many others, pronounce the word "mother" starting with the letter M. In Vietnam, besides the word "mother," different regions also have different ways of addressing her, such as "má," "mạ," "mệ," "mế," "mẫu," etc., all of which also begin with the letter M.

Why is that? Is it a mystery that defies science, or simply because pronouncing 'M' is the simplest lip movement for each baby to easily send their first linguistic signal to their mother? Whatever the reason, the word 'mother' comes to us in such a fortunate and miraculous moment. Before learning to spell "m-e-me-heavy-mother," before mastering the vast and complex world of language, just a few months after birth we can already call out "mother," a priceless gift that nature bestows upon the sacred bond of motherhood. Life is like that: born calling out "mother," joyfully calling out "mother," suffering calling out "mother," fearfully calling out "mother," and even in the face of danger, we still instinctively call out, "Mother!"

Mother—that word, that image, that symbol—will forever be the most constant and profound emotion in every human being. Mother is the greatest benefactor of the world. A mother's love is boundless, her sacrifice immeasurable. Millions of films, plays, literary works, paintings, musical compositions, and sculptures have relentlessly strived to portray the image and qualities of a mother. Works about mothers always move us, but it seems they only manage to depict a very small part of the mothers we know. Ultimately, every description of a mother is only a small part of her. A mother is the diligent and compassionate "spiritual leader" who guides us through life.

In my neighborhood, there's Mrs. Huynh, 82 years old, who still sits waiting at the door if her 65-year-old "little son" hasn't come home from drinking green tea at the neighbor's. It sounds like a joke, but it's true. A mother's love is boundless and unconditional. When I was a key official at the grassroots level, I witnessed a famous general, a veteran who had faced life and death on the Route 9 battlefield in Southern Laos. He was majestic and powerful, "breathing fire" before his soldiers, yet every time he came home, he would still run into his mother's arms to be hugged, caressed, and gently advised. That's it, all heroes are born from a mother. With a mother, the older we get, the more we feel like children. She carried us, she gave birth to us, she gave us her first sweet drops of milk, her lullabies, and so on and so forth… We are born, we grow up, and we become adults. Wherever we are, whether indirectly or directly, the image of our mother always protects and encourages us.

The story goes that there was a fierce bandit who, surrounded, fiercely resisted the authorities. All negotiations and appeals for surrender proved futile until his own mother appeared. With just her weak words, “Nam, come home, my son. You’ve made a mistake, come back to me. Come back, let me wash your hair.” That was all it took for the bandit to surrender his weapon and collapse into his mother’s frail arms. Deep within her heart, the mother possessed boundless strength, the strength of maternal love. As the saying goes, “A mother’s heart is a bottomless abyss, and at its bottom, you will always find forgiveness” (Balzac).

Mother is also present in faith; Christianity has the Virgin Mary, Buddhism has the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, folk beliefs have the Holy Mother, and so on. It's no coincidence that when someone dies, they say they "return to Mother Earth." That's right, people call it "Mother Earth," not "Father Earth."

There are great mothers, mothers who transcend private family feelings."Mothers who wholeheartedly embrace motherhood/Love their children as if they were their own."(Tố Hữu) the people"Mother stands in the rain / Sheltering her sleeping children / Blocking the enemy's advance / Mother sits in the rain"(Trịnh Công Sơn), yes, those are the Vietnamese Mothers! Legend says that, long ago, on a beautiful afternoon in the distant past, Mother Âu Cơ gave birth to a hundred eggs, which hatched into a hundred children of Vietnam. We all share the same mother, bound together by the two words "compatriots."

That's what Vietnamese mothers are like. Following in the footsteps of the Trung Sisters, Bui Thi Xuan, Duong Van Nga, there are Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Vo Thi Sau, Mother Tom, Mother Suot, Nguyen Thi Dinh, Sister Tu Hau, Phan Thi Hong Gam, Dang Thuy Tram and millions of other mothers and sisters... With the spirit, ""Even the hem of the pants will be beaten."Our seemingly delicate army of long-haired women has forged an image of a strong, courageous Vietnamese woman, wholeheartedly devoted to her people and country. Today, these sisters and mothers are appearing on new fronts. Whether in science or business, art or sports, in factories, in the fields, or with a bamboo broom on the sidewalk, these mothers and sisters continue to tirelessly "spin silk" for life.

In 1994, the Party and State of Vietnam officially bestowed and posthumously awarded the title of Heroic Vietnamese Mother, a title seemingly unique in our country, awarded to mothers who "sent their sons off to war" and "wept silently." The brutal war claimed countless lives; no title can compensate for the great sacrifices of these mothers. Their sons fell, but the pain of losing their children torments them night after night. These Vietnamese mothers, with guns in their hands and plows in their hands, dismantling houses for convoys going to the front lines, accepted the ultimate suffering to dedicate their outstanding sons to the nation. Great, immensely great, heroic, unimaginably heroic. To Huu wrote a truly moving poem about Vietnamese mothers:"I've come home, Mother Tơm/Oh, the suffering mother who saved food/For me and for the Party in the old days/Without fear of imprisonment, shackles, or guns and swords."

In 2018, the whole country was moved by a sad story related to the baby swap at the hospital six years prior. It was a regrettable incident, but above all, what stood out was the mother's devotion. Ms. H raised baby M for six years, enduring the false accusation of infidelity and being divorced by her husband. Six long years of silence until the truth was revealed. She was shocked and in tears. That mother couldn't bear to be separated from baby M, the child she didn't give birth to but had raised from a young age. That's what motherhood is like. Believe me, if there is anyone in this world who would readily die for us when needed, it is our mother. Someone once said, "God couldn't be everywhere, so He created mothers."

Yet, just before sitting down to write these lines, the author read a shocking piece of information. According to the report, by 2049, which is only about 30 years away, our country will have an excess of 4.3 million men. The consequences of sex selection! It is heartbreaking and outrageous that the ideology of valuing men over women still prevails. An excess of 4.3 million men means we have lost 4.3 million mothers!

Perhaps by the time this article reaches you, the whole world will be displaying slogans celebrating International Women's Day on March 8th. Every message is valuable, but perhaps what we need is action instead of empty banners. Every woman carries the responsibility of motherhood, and every mother is a benefactor. Before doing anything grand, please be a good daughter to your mother! Don't misbehave and upset your parents, and don't blame your mother for your failures!